


Wanderer, Wonderer

by katsukiyaoi



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Angst, Fluff, M/M, Pining, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-21
Updated: 2017-04-21
Packaged: 2018-10-22 04:44:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10689978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katsukiyaoi/pseuds/katsukiyaoi
Summary: content warning: anxiety/depression, suicidal thoughtsLink wanders the world, lost.He has thousands of people to help and it’s difficult to figure out where to start. Four cardinal directions, infinite paths that he could take. Losses no matter what he decides to do first. He feels a sense of urgency, an itch to fight. He bites off more than he can chew, and his jaw aches, but he has to do it. If not him, then who? He pushes himself and works long hours training, collecting materials, preparing to reclaim Divine Beasts and eventually challenge Calamity Ganon himself. At night, he rests fitfully.





	Wanderer, Wonderer

Link wanders the world, lost. 

He has thousands of people to help and it’s difficult to figure out where to start. Four cardinal directions, infinite paths that he could take. Losses no matter what he decides to do first. He feels a sense of urgency, an itch to fight. He bites off more than he can chew, and his jaw aches, but he has to do it. If not him, then who? He pushes himself and works long hours training, collecting materials, preparing to reclaim Divine Beasts and eventually challenge Calamity Ganon himself. At night, he rests fitfully. 

When possible, Link likes to sleep in horse stables. After spending most nights on bare ground, the inn beds feel too soft to give him comfort. He likes the solid presence of the earth, the rough sensations of hay, to remind him that he’s real. He likes hearing the occasional sounds of the horses so he doesn’t feel as lonely.

Some nights, he lays awake and thinks about how weak he is, how people are suffering every day that he doesn’t defeat Calamity Ganon. He laments his inadequacy and looks at his hands and thinks about how small they are, and how they can’t do everything. Then he chastises himself because he’s supposed to do everything. He can’t waste time with self-pity or doubt. Link has to keep forging forward and getting stronger.

To feel better, he thinks of Kass breathing music in the air, of the twists and turns of the bustling Gerudo Town, and the beautiful designs of Zora’s domain. Most of all, the beautiful prince that lives there. 

Sidon believed in Link more than Link could ever believe in himself. Link knows it’s because Sidon hasn’t seen Link drown in shallow streams or die under the piercing eye of a Guardian. Sidon has never bore witness to Link being battered by Fire Keeses as he attempts to scale a mountain. Sidon doesn’t know that Link isn’t that special, that the Master Sword is indestructible but far from powerful.

Sometimes Link thinks he’s unnecessary, that someone else could defeat Calamity Ganon if they knew that there was no special advantage that Link possessed over other candidates. Just the faith of the Goddess, perhaps, who had been so kind as to let Link sleep for a hundred years while the rest of the world burned. 

It makes him doubt Her judgment, as traitorous as those thoughts are. 

And because of all these doubts, Link sometimes wishes he didn’t have to exist at all. Didn’t have to live and fight for everyone else. The thoughts surge to the front of his mind when he’s darting between the foul, unwashed legs of a lumbering Hinox, or when the Stone Talus’ fist catches his limb in a crushing blow, or when the Blood Moon rises after a particularly taxing day. 

Link wonders why he was designated as the Hero of Hyrule. Link wishes it was someone else. 

Link wants to skip through the hard parts of his life, fast-forward to some amazing fantasy future where he returns to Sidon’s welcoming arms every night. Sometimes he imagines swimming with Sidon under a blanket of stars, or marrying Sidon under the accepting gaze of Muzu and an arch made of water lilies. 

Of course, they are ridiculous thoughts. Sidon is a prince, a male, a Zora, and has a hundred extra years of maturity over Link. He’s widely loved and has his own fanclub. Link has no claim to royalty and knows little about politics or Zora courting practices. Worst of all, he can’t speak. He could never feasibly be an adequate ambassador, let alone a prince or king. 

Link huffs and digs through his bottomless bag to locate Mipha’s armor. He spreads the scaly cloth onto a sack of wheat and curls his arms around his makeshift pillow. He inhales the faint scent of fish and thinks of Sidon’s perfect smile. His heart stirs, and he pushes down the butterflies with a heavy exhale. He pushes out a gust of air, his thoughts of whimsy. 

Link’s duty is to Hyrule. He is not allowed to be selfish. 

*****

When Calamity Ganon collapses and ceases to move, Link is unsure of the next step. He approaches the body, affirms the death of the personified plague, and collects his loot. He walks to the wall of the castle and looks down. 

He could jump. The people could think that both he and Ganon had perished in their battle. Link’s singular duty was over. He had done his part. 

He thinks of the fairies imprisoned in his bag. He could set them free, and free himself from the weight of the world. 

Link takes a deep breath –

\--and climbs down. 

Perhaps his head would clear after some rest and a celebration. 

Foot, foot, hand, hand. He focuses on the coarse rock beneath his fingers. 

*****

Link wanders the world, lost. He runs errands occasionally and dispatches Bokoblin camps, the only remaining threats to civilization. He travels often and resists the urge to return to Zora’s domain for a few weeks. 

He misses Sidon, but he doesn’t want the prince to think Link is obsessed or clingy.

Link collects fangs from his enemies and strings them together with twine to make a necklace. He learns to braid and weave from a fledgling Rito. Her bright smile makes him almost envious. Link wants a light, carefree happiness, but he’s filled with guilt and longing. Guilt for his selfishness, to sleep so soundly as others suffered, and longing to be selfish again by whisking Sidon into his arms and away from his princely duties. 

Link embeds precious metals and jewels from across the land into the necklace. He polishes and sandpapers the teeth so that they are more refined. He makes dyes out of crushed flowers and seals the paint with a finishing coat of clear tree sap. He wraps his masterpiece inside a bundle of old clothes and rides a wild horse to Zora’s domain. 

“Link! It’s been too long,” shouts a guard upon recognizing Link’s lithe figure. Link dismounts and hands the reins to the tall Zora, forcing a smile onto his scarred, chapped lips. “I’ll take care of this fella for you.”

“I’ll inform the prince of your arrival,” blusters the other guard, a newer recruit that Link hasn’t met before. Nonetheless, the guard looks in awe of the tiny Hylian. He blinks rapidly a few times before quickly marching away.

Link is halfway to the inn when Sidon intercepts and envelops Link in a hug. “Link, my dear friend, how I missed you so! Congratulations for defeating the Calamity Ganon. I always knew you could do it,” Sidon says. He pulls back slightly to give Link a dashing grin. “Come stay in a guest room in the castle! You are always welcome at Zora’s Domain. I will have an attendant prepare a room for you immediately.”

Link flushes a bit and shakes his head, as if to dismiss Sidon’s praise and generous offer.

“Nonsense, Link. I owe you the world! Quite literally, if you know what I mean,” Sidon says. He winks and chortles a bit at his own joke. Link doesn’t really see the humor, but he smiles because Sidon is smiling. 

Link spends the following days running more errands. He helps a few Zora soldiers dig a new canal. He trades goods with the local store and traveling merchants. He stays two nights. On the third morning, he packs his bag and knocks on Sidon’s bedroom door just after dawn. The door cracks open in a few minutes. “Hello, Link,” Sidon says pleasantly, yawning behind a hand. Link enters the room and waits until Sidon closes the door.

“What is it, my dear friend?”

Link hands the cloth parcel to Sidon. 

“A gift?” The prince looks delighted. Link nods nervously. “May I open it?” More fervent nodding. Sidon carefully unwraps the parcel, which is a bit comical to Link since the wrapping is by no means worthy of such delicate treatment.

Sidon gasps when he sees Link’s creation. “It’s beautiful. Where did you get this?” Link hesitates, unsure how to communicate. “Did you make it?” 

Link swallows and nods again.

“Oh, thank you! Thank you so much, Link,” Sidon gushes, immediately reaching up to put the necklace on. “How do I look?” Sidon asks, teasing with his signature bicep curl and grin.

In hindsight, the rainbow of colors looks somewhat childish and random. Perhaps he should have focused on hues that would complement Sidon’s red and white coloring. The necklace doesn’t look royal or elegant, but playful. Probably not a necklace that Sidon could wear all the time.

Either way, Sidon is always perfect to Link. 

Link smiles and hugs Sidon gently. Sidon hugs tighter. “Are you leaving now, Link?” comes Sidon’s voice, close to the pointed tip of an ear. Link nods and feels Sidon’s mouth brush against the ear. The ear reddens. 

“I’ll miss you, Link. You can come back anytime. Zora’s Domain will always welcome you,” Sidon promises. Link nods again even though he knows that he’s a burden and Sidon is just unbearably polite. Sidon will probably take off the necklace as soon as he leaves and stuff it in a drawer. Link is okay with that, though. He just wanted to give a piece of himself to the person that made him happiest. 

“May I ask where you’re going?” Sidon inquires politely, dropping his arms and pulling back to look into Link’s eyes. Link avoids his warm gaze out of embarrassment and shrugs, waving his arms to indicate anywhere, wherever-whatever. 

“Do you ever feel lonely from traveling all the time? It must be difficult.” Link shrugs. 

“But you don’t have to. Travel all the time, that is. Unless you want to, of course, I’m just saying that you could stay at Zora’s Domain forever and I really wouldn’t mind, but if you prefer traveling then I wouldn’t dream of stopping you or anything like that,” Sidon says in a rush. Link blinks, unused to seeing the prince fumble with his words. He smiles uncertainly up at the tall Zora.

“I just want you to be happy,” Sidon says affirmatively. “And I really want you to know that I, um, we love having you here. You’re a delight.” Sidon fiddles with the end of his head-tail. “And I’ll miss you. Really.”

Link is sure now that he’s dreaming, but he figures it’s a lucid dream since his dream-self responds to the commands that he gives it. Link places his heavy bag on the ground and nods.  


Sidon’s eyes water and Link wanders in them, lost, and drowns in happiness, love, and newfound purpose.

**Author's Note:**

> first thing i've written (besides school) in like 6-8 years? feels really strange to get back into it. would love feedback. thanks for reading and have a wonderful day!
> 
> here's my tumblr: https://catchsukiyuuri.tumblr.com/ 
> 
> it's barren but you can submit prompts or ask me things if u want :)


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